A petition to move to an elected school board for the Valparaiso Community
Schools Corporation is now available online to be signed by residents of
Valparaiso and Center Township.

The petition drive was launched last year to push for an elected school
board for Valparaiso Community Schools. Valparaiso is one of the 12 school
districts in the state that are still under an appointed board system. There
are 293 school boards in the state of Indiana. The petition drive is being
spearheaded by Kevin Cornett of Valparaiso.

“96 percent of school districts in this state elect their board,” Cornett
said. “It is time that Valparaiso become part of the vast majority of
districts in the state that elect their school boards.”

to assist in garnering signatures and informing the public about the push
for an elected school board. Signatures for the petition can be added online
or in person by any person that lives within the Valparaiso Community
Schools district and is a registered voter. The online signatures will be
added to the 2,500 other signatures collected by hand. 3,500 signatures are
required to begin the process of moving to an elected board.

“We have already gathered thousands of signatures in person,” Cornett said.
“To surpass our goal, online signatures are necessary. It is much easier to
reach all of the voters in Valparaiso with an online petition.”

The petition lists the lack of accountability to the community, budgetary
issues and lack of stable leadership as its primary reasons for pushing for
an elected board.

“We have seen a complete lack of accountability from the board. It is time
that we move to where 96 percent of other school boards are,” Cornett said.
“There have been no answers to how money is being spent and the problems the
Valpo schools are facing.”

Anyone interested in signing the petition or becoming involved with the
drive for an elected school board can visit
www.electvalposchoolboard.com